title: A computerized education module improves patient knowledge and attitudes about appropriate antibiotic use for acute respiratory tract infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over-use of antibiotics for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) increases antimicrobial resistance, treatment costs, and side effects. Patient desire for antibiotics contributes to over-use.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether a point-of-care interactive computerized education module increases patient knowledge and decreases desire for antibiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bilingual (English/Spanish) interactive kiosks were available in 8 emergency departments as part of a multidimensional intervention to reduce antibiotic prescribing for ARIs. The symptom-tailored module included assessment of symptoms, knowledge about ARIs (3 items), and desire for antibiotics on a 10-point visual analog scale. Multivariable analysis assessed predictors of change in desire for antibiotics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 686 adults with ARI symptoms, 63% initially thought antibiotics might help. The proportion of patients with low (1-3 on the scale) desire for antibiotics increased from 22% pre-module to 49% post-module (p<.001). Self-report of "learning something new" was associated with decreased desire for antibiotics, after adjusting for baseline characteristics (p=.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An interactive educational kiosk improved knowledge about antibiotics and ARIs. Learning correlated with changes in personal desire for antibiotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By reducing desire for antibiotics, point-of-care interactive educational computer technology may help decrease inappropriate use for antibiotics for ARIs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. erika.price@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Erika Leemann
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.forename: Joshua P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Metlay
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonzales
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents